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|£
--------------------------
London |2,775
Elsewhere |2,195
Parental home |1,655
These represent increases above the current year's rates broadly in line with those for corresponding mandatory undergraduate awards. For the studentships in librarianship and information science administered by my Department, the rates for 1990-91 will be the same as those under the state studentship scheme run by the British Academy, which I announced in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Batiste) on Wednesday 4 July, Official Report, column 575 .
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Office Searches (EC Inspectors)
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which the private offices of the chairman of British Airways were searched by European Community inspectors ; what authority the inspectors had for entering the premises and studying documents ; and which court authorised these searches.
Mr. Ridley : I am not responsible for the activities of the European Commission.
Postal Monopolies
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date he expects the publication by the European Commission of its proposed Green Paper on postal monopolies.
Mr. Forth : I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 2 July, Official Report, column 426.
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Copyright (Television Programmes)
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will place in the Library a copy of counsel's opinion asked for by him on the protection granted to television programme formats under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : No. It would not be appropriate to place in the Library a copy of counsel's advice to me.
Cars
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the European Economic Community to make a decision on the arrangements for trade in cars, with particular reference to the import to the continent of British cars manufactured by Japanese-owned firms ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 2 July 1990] : Following the informal discussion among Community Ministers on 19 June, the Commission is to have talks with the Japanese authorities, and is expected to report back to Ministers in July. I should like to see a firm agreement reached as soon as possible. However, I believe that the Government's position that cars manufactured in the EC by Japanese-owned companies should continue to enjoy unlimited free circulation throughout the Community is unassailable and has now been accepted by other member states.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implications for his policy on treating cars produced in the United Kingdom by Japanese-owned firms in the same way as other British-produced cars of the European Commission's recent declaration concerning imports of Japanese motor vehicles.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 2 July 1990] : Formal agreement has still to be reached among member states and with Japan on the future treatment of cars produced by Japanese-owned companies. I am insisting and I remain confident that all cars produced in Britain, including by Japanese -owned companies, will continue to enjoy unlimited free circulation throughout the Community after 1992.
Import and Export Licences
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what form information on the granting of licences under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 is kept by his Department.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 2 July 1990] : Information relating to import and export licences is kept in paper form and is subject to the Official Secrets Act. Since January 1990 certain export licence information has been preserved on microfilm. Some information pertaining to import licensing is held on computer.
Biological Weapons
Mr. O'Neill : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which section of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 is concerned with biological weapons.
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Mr. Redwood [holding answer 2 July 1990] : Biological weapons are controlled by entry ML7 of group 1 of part 2 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989, as amended by the Export of Goods (Control) (Amendment No. 2) Order 1990.
Export Credits Guarantee Department
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, following the conversion in 1991 of the insurance services group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department to a Government company, it will be necessary for the new company to establish at least one year's commercial accounts before its full privatisation.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 3 July 1990] : No.
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in identifying an eventual buyer, or buyers, for the insurance services group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 3 July 1990] : Decisions have not yet been taken about the proposed method of sale of the insurance services group. No decisions have been taken about possible buyers.
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what method will be used to recruit a chief executive for the privatised insurance group of the ECGD.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 3 July 1990] : This will be a matter for the new owners of the privatised business.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has had with the European Commission regarding the prospective bidders for the insurance services group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department and competition policy.
Mr. Redwood [holding answer 3 July 1990] : Decisions have not yet been taken about the proposed method of sale of the insurance services group and no decisions have been taken about possible purchasers. The Government will, however, take into account the views of the European Commission in reaching decisions.
TRANSPORT
Tourism
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to encourage regional airports to recognise the importance of a quality welcoming system for visitors.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Government are keen to see the maximum use of airports in all parts of the country but the facilities referred to by the hon. Member are a matter for the commercial judgment of individual airport managements.
Private Aircraft
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received in favour of introducing compulory third party liability insurance for private pilots.
Mr. McLoughlin : Over the past year my Department has received five communications supporting the introduction of compulsory third party insurance for civil aviation, including private aircraft.
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Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total value of damage sustained by third parties as a result of accidents involving private aircraft for each of the last three years.Mr. McLoughlin : This information is not held centrally.
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to introduce compulsory third party liability insurance for private pilots.
Mr. McLoughlin : My right hon. Friend has received, in response to a request to the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, initial advice from the authority on the issues which would have to be dealt with by a compulsory scheme, for which legislation would be needed, and he is now considering that advice.
Taxi Licences
Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the introduction of the single European Act will affect the number of taxi licences available to United Kingdom citizens (a) in respect of Hackney cabs and (b) in respect of private cabs.
Mr. Freeman : The European Commission has not yet formulated definite proposals relating to Hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licensing. Unless or until such time as the EC issues a directive, the domestic licensing laws of each member state will apply to applicants for licences.
At present in Scotland, England--outside London--and Wales local authorities may not refuse a hackney carriage licence unless they are satisfied that there is no significant unmet demand for hackney carriage services in the area, but no numerical controls are allowed on private hire vehicles. In London there are no numerical controls on hackney carriage licences ; private hire vehicles--minicabs--are not licensed. In Northern Ireland no numerical controls are allowed on either hackney carriages or private hire vehicles.
Roads, Folkestone and Southampton
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects a continuous dual carriageway road to be operational between Folkestone and Southampton.
Mr. Atkins : My right hon. Friend has no proposals for a continuous dual carriageway road between Folkestone and Southampton but with schemes completed or under construction and the further schemes announced in the Roads Report "Trunk Roads, England Into the 1990s", the M27--A27--A259 south coast trunk route is being progressively improved. It will be dual carriageway standard between Southampton and Polegate in East Sussex, and a mixture of dual and single carriageway between Polegate and Folkestone, depending on the variation in forecast traffic flows along the route.
M20, Ashford
Mr. Speed : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what design work is taking place on the Lacton interchange on the M20 in Ashford to improve the junction's traffic flow and capacity.
Mr. Atkins : Kent county council, as highway authority for the junction roundabout, is undertaking preliminary
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design of possible options to improve the capacity and traffic flow at M20 junction 10. Subject to my Department being satisfied about the effects to traffic on the motorway and its connecting roads, the choice of any scheme to be promoted rests with the county council.Russell Scott School (Land Sale)
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to complete the sale of land at the side of the M67 and the former Russell Scott school in Denton ; and when negotiations for sale started.
Mr. Atkins : Negotiations will open shortly. It is too soon to say when a sale might be completed.
Passenger Coaches (Seat Belts)
Mr. Key : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his policy on the fitting and wearing of seat belts in passenger coaches.
Mr. Atkins : I am strongly in favour of the fitting of good quality seat belts on all seats in coaches and of the belts being worn wherever provided. I am very glad that the Bus and Coach Council is now recommending that all new coaches should be fitted with seat belts. We are discussing further with them the fitting of belts on existing coaches.
We are continuing to press for early agreement in the European Community to the mandatory fitment of seat belts on all seats in new coaches.
Aviation
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 2 July, Official Report, columns 428-29, if he will make a statement outlining the nature and extent of the changes which will result from the commitment to establish a single market in aviation by the end of 1992.
Mr. McLoughlin : The agreement reached by EC Transport Ministers on 18 June set the Community firmly on course to complete a single market in aviation by the end of 1992. As well as setting out a second stage of EC liberalisation, this agreement incorporates into EC law the earlier Ministerial commitment to the key ingredients of a single market : the abolition of bilateral capacity sharing and the introduction of the double disapproval system for the setting of fares by 1 January 1993, and the adoption of uniform licensing criteria by 1 July 1992. The United Kingdom has welcomed these commitments and will continue to take a leading role in negotiations on the completion of a liberal EC market in air transport.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to establish why the French Government blocked the proposal last month by British Midland Airways for a cheaper business fare from London to Paris ; and if he will initiate proceedings against the French Government.
Mr. McLoughlin : The French Government initially maintained that the three-day business return fare of £149 proposed by British Midland for its London-Paris service was not reasonably related to the costs of the airline.
Under the EC arrangements for fare approval, which provide criteria for the assessment of fares proposals and for consultations in cases of disagreement, the Department of Transport met the French authorities on 2 May in Paris.
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At these consultations the French agreed to accept a fare structure on British Midland's Heathrow-Paris service which would include a new three-day business return of £165. This is higher than first proposed, but is still substantially lower than existing business class return fares on the route of around £240. I understand that British Midland was content with the result.Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 2 July, Official Report, columns 428-29, if he will make a statement explaining the nature and extent of the greater freedom being made available to commercial airlines in consequence of the Transport Ministers Council of 18 June.
Mr. McLoughlin : I am particularly pleased that the EC Transport Council adopted a second package of measures which seals the commitment to the liberalisation of air transport in the European Community by the end of 1992, and provides for arrangements which will function in the interim.
The new package builds on the first set of measures agreed in 1987. It contains arrangements for setting fares which introduce an element of double disapproval and simplify the existing zonal system. It further relaxes the limits on capacity sharing by progressively increasing the maximum share of capacity enjoyed by the airlines of any one state to 75 per cent. The package also eases access to the market by creating third and fourth freedom traffic rights between virtually all Community airports, relaxing restrictions on fifth freedom services within the Community, and progressively lowering the thresholds for multiple designation. The Council accepted the need to deal quickly with predatory practices ; and agreed principles against which air cargo services should be further liberalised by March 1991. Ministers also reached agreement on a mandate for the opening of aviation negotiations for EFTA.
Road Defects
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's current estimate of the cost of making good all defects in local authority adopted roads (a) in total and (b) by local authority ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Atkins : The Department of Transport does not have the detailed condition data that would be necessary to estimate the cost of rectifying all defects in roads that local authorities are responsible for maintaining. Central Government's contribution to local authority road maintenance is made as part of the annual revenue support grant settlement, and to structural maintenance of local authority bridges through the transport supplementary grant settlement. Local authorities are consulted through their representative bodies as part of the process of deciding on these levels of funding.
Nuclear Fuel
Mr. Wallace : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has received from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority regarding the transportation of spent fuel rods of highly enriched uranium to the United Kingdom from research reactors in Spain, the Netherlands and West Germany under contracts proposed between the authority and the relevant body in each country.
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Mr. Atkins : While we are aware that such contracts are being sought, to date no application relating specifically to the transport of this material has been received. All shipments of spent fuel are required to be carried in containers which have been approved and certified by my Department as complying fully with stringent national and international transport safety regulations.
Lockerbie Disaster
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will meet the costs of legal representation for the relatives of victims of the Lockerbie disaster at the forthcoming Scottish fatal accident inquiry.
Mr. Parkinson : Yes. I am writing to the Secretary of the Lockerbie air disaster group of solicitors' firms to say that my Department will meet the reasonable costs incurred on behalf of the British relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie disaster by one team of legal representatives in carrying out the necessary work in preparing for and attending the inquiry.
This offer of financial assistance reflects the exceptional nature of the disaster, a crime perpetrated by international terrorists which resulted in the destruction of a large passenger aircraft in British air space. There are therefore very special reasons for departing from the practice that relatives' costs are not met in fatal accident inquiries or inquests.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Personal Pension Plans
Sir John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling on 28 June, Official Report, column 350, he will now include the Consumers Association in those interested bodies who have been asked for their views on the existing regulations on the disclosure of information to members of occupational and personal pension schemes.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The Consumers Association has now been asked whether it wishes to make any comments.
Pensioners (Investment Income)
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the level of investment income, excluding savings, of pensioners with a weekly pension income of (a) less than £50, (b) £50 to £100, (c) £100 to £200, (d) £200 to £500 and (e) over £500 ; and if he will indicate the number of pensioners in each group.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The latest information from the 1987 family expenditure survey is set out in the table. The figures provided assume weekly pension income to consist of national insurance state retirement pension and supplementary benefit. There are no cases of people with this income in the levels of the top two bands specified in the question.
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Retirement pension supplementary | Percentage of |Average
benefit<1> | pensioners in | savings/
|each group | investment in-
|come per
|week<2>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|£
less than £50 |65 |13.85
50 to 99.99 |35 |33.60
100 to 199.99 |less than 1 |<3>58.05
200 to 499.99 |0 |nil
500 and over |0 |nil
<1> Pounds per week at 1987 prices
<2> It is not possible to separately identify savings income from investment income except at disproportionate cost. Savings are
generally accepted to be bank and building society deposits whereas investment income includes (for example) premiums on
stocks/shares.
<3> Only two cases were found within this group which do not represent an adequate sample size.
Income Support
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he intends to implement the recommendation in commissioners' decision CIS/18/88, and amend the income support regulations to provide in the case of a pensioner moving from hospital to residential care, that income support commences immediately on discharge from hospital instead of on the following retirement pension pay day.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : We have no plans to implement the suggestion of the appeal tribunal mentioned in CIS/18/88. For those over pension age, income support is paid in advance from the first pay day on or after the date of claim. Similar arrangements apply when income support is reduced or ceases, so equity is preserved.
Students
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he proposes to lay regulations concerning students' entitlement to benefits and to publish the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee on the draft regulations.
Mr. Scott : Draft regulations on students' entitlement to benefits were submitted to the Social Security Advisory Committee on 19 February. The committee subsequently reported its conclusions at the end of April. However, amendments to the Social Security Bill have since been carried in the House of Lords which would affect the Government's proposals. The Government will be asking the House to disagree with their Lordships' amendments when these are considered by the House of Commons.
The Social Security Advisory Committee report will be formally published and presented to Parliament with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's formal response when the main set of regulations is laid in due course. However, in order better to inform the House in advance of their consideration of the Lords amendments, we have today made special arrangements to place in the Library proof copies of the report on the draft regulations together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's initial comments on that report. Subject to further consideration of the Social Security Bill the Government intend to make two important changes to the draft regulations submitted to the Social Security Advisory Committee. First, the Government propose to introduce in all the income- related benefits a
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£10 weekly disregard on income received from top-up loans so long as the loan recipient continues as a student. Secondly, we intend to consult the local authority associations on a separate regulation which will extend the proposed definition of a disabled student to include students who are eligible for an award under the local education authorities disabled students allowance scheme by reason of deafness. Subject to the views of the local authority associations, we intend to lay this regulation as soon as possible after the main set of regulations.NORTHERN IRELAND
Rathlin Island Trust
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has given any financial support to the Rathlin Island Trust ; what representations he has received concerning the trust ; and on what basis others are represented on the trust.
Mr. Needham : Financial support has been provided to the Rathlin Island Trust from a number of Government sources, as follows : i. The Department of the Environment has paid £8,000 in historic building grant towards the repair and maintenance of the manor house.
ii. The Training and Employment Agency of the Department of Economic Development has paid £214,800 over the years 1987-88 to 1989-90 and are prepared to pay £64,000 in 1990-91 for ACE projects which include the refurbishment of the manor house, conversion of the tithe barn to create a dive centre and an environmental clean-up on the Island.
iii. An offer of grant of almost £54,000 towards the cost of developing an activity centre at the manor house complex has been made by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, acting as agent for the International Fund for Ireland, under the tourism amenities scheme. iv. The trust has also applied to the Department of Economic Development for grant aid from the European regional development fund under the tourism operational programme. The application which relates to other proposed works associated with the manor house development is at present under consideration.
In recent years several representations from the Rathlin Island Trust and others have been received by Ministers about provision of services on Rathlin island ; no representations about the trust have been received. I am not aware of the way in which membership of the trust is gained.
Protection of Birds
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those areas of special protection for birds as well as those Ramsar sites and areas with dual designation for the protection of birds.
Mr. Peter Bottomley : Lough Neagh and Lough Beg is a Ramsar site. We are working on further special protection.
Radioactivity
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many areas of what size in Northern Ireland are still under food protection emergency prohibitions as a consequence of the Chernobyl incident ; how many breeding sheep are still grazing on each such area ; by how much radioactivity has decreased
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in each such area by reference to (a) sheepmeat, (b) vegetation and (c) soil/peat ; and when he now expects all restrictions on sheep to be removed.Mr. Peter Bottomley [holding answer 3 July 1990] : Testing of marketable lamb at slaughterhouses throughout Northern Ireland continues to show that lamb is safe. Restrictions on movement and slaughter of sheep in Northern Ireland apply in the following areas :
|Glenshane |Belraugh |Glenwherry
|County |County |County
|Londonderry|Londonderry|Antrim
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Acreage |10,744 |2,247 |8,620
Estimated number
of breeding
sheep |11,300 |3,000 |7,000
Monitoring of radioactivity levels in survey flocks has demonstrated no significant fall in radioactivity levels. The available research data from sampling of vegetation and soil/peat do not allow firm conclusions to be reached.
It is not possible to predict how long restrictions will need to stay in force. They will be lifted as soon as it is possible to do so without compromising the safety of the food chain.
Fair Employment
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the directors of the Inner City Trust in Londonderry.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 3 July 1990] : The information requested is held by the Registrar of Friendly Societies at 64 Chichester street, Belfast and the registrar is required to make it available to the public, during office hours on payment of a fee.
Emergency Provision Legislation
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were detained under Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts in 1989 ; and how many of these persons were subsequently charged with (a) scheduled offences, (b) non-scheduled offences.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 4 July 1990] : Eighty seven people were arrested under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 and six were subsequently charged with scheduled offences.
Female Prisoners
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average length of custodial sentence of female prisoners in Northern Ireland in 1989.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 4 July 1990] : Three hundred and twenty four days, excluding those committed to prison on default of payment of a fine.
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average period of custodial remand for female custodial remand prisoners in Northern Ireland in 1989.
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Mr. Cope [holding answer 4 July 1990] : The average length of time spent on custodial remand by female prisoners who were tried in 1989 and were in custody at the time of trial was 28 days.
Energy Costs
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answers of 11 June, Official Report, column 30 and 21 May, Official Report, column 30, about energy consumption, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 25 June 1990] : The total area of the Government office estate in Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Office in London in 1988-89 was just over 2.9 million sq. ft.
EMPLOYMENT
Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether, further to his reply of 11 June, Official Report, column 54, concerning the progress of job interview guarantee, he will give the latest figures for the participation of unemployed people for each of the various options available under job interview guarantee, and for the numbers of participants who have been placed in jobs, by each area.
Mr. Eggar : The employment service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady.
Training
Dr. Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of Government spending in the last financial year was devoted to training in each Group of Seven and European Community country ; and if he will make a statement.
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